Figuring Out the Stuff Between the Beginning and the End

AFI #93 – The French Connection

Netflix says… Violent, foul-mouthed detective “Popeye” Doyle (Gene Hackman) pursues a suave French drug dealer (Fernando Rey) through New York City with Captain Ahab-like zeal. Featuring a legendary car-vs.-train chase scene that stands the test of time, the film won the Best Picture Oscar. William Friedkin’s groundbreaking crime drama that portrays cops and thugs in a similar light took the genre down a gritty, realistic path that influenced filmmaking for years.

Before now, my only exposure to this film was from the movie Big. Tom Hanks was watching it in his hotel room not long after the 13-year-old turned 30 and went to the city. And now, having seen the movie, it’s one I could take or leave. It was all right, but not great in my opinion. Although, that car chase that the Netflix description talks about was pretty fantastic. Not that I’d ever heard anyone talking about the great chase scene from The French Connection before.